Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by MissRoy
Summary: Due to an international act requiring all magical schools to do an exchange, Hogwarts gets 5 new students and 1 new teacher from Portland, Oregon.
1. Late

**Chapter One**

Aurora Hansen was late for class. Not that it was unusual for her to be late; she just wasn't ever this late. The bell to start 3rd period had rung almost exactly 15 minutes earlier. Aurora had been in the bathroom, staring into the mirror trying to imagine herself as a famous musician. Normally, her aunt and uncle discouraged muggle career choices, but even they could see she was a natural.

Aurora had been brought up by her Aunt Judy and Uncle Lucas after her parents were both killed during a routine raid. They had both been Aurors and had been assigned to an old, abandoned mansion near Washington. Aurora missed them very much. Aunt Judy was a muggle and Uncle Lucas was a pureblood. They had no children, but were delighted to take Aurora in 10 years before. They sent her to Portland Academy for Gifted Witches and Wizards and gave her anything she wanted (within reason).

When the bell rang, Aurora had been practicing her awards acceptance speech and hadn't realized until after the fact, that the bell had rung. She had hurriedly left the girls' room and unfortunately, she had slammed into a passing teacher who immediately sent her to see Madame Meara, the headmistress. Madame Meara was a chubby, likable, motherly lady of 60 years. No student was particularly afraid of being sent to see her.

The fact that Madame Meara was so nice to everyone made it unsettling when Aurora reached the door of her office and heard two obviously enraged people screaming at the top of their lungs. Aurora stood by the door, listening in and unwilling to interrupt.

"I will not send my students into harm's way! I have kept correspondence with Albus Dumbledore for many years and if he says it is not a wise decision then I will believe him!" Madame Meara never got this angry, "I do not care if there's been a new magical law. I don't care if Minister Howard himself ordered me to take these children to the place, I won't do it! I don't want to live with the guilt if something happened to one of them."

"Oh come on now Melissa, not only did Minister Howard order it, but all magical dignitaries agree that it was the right decision! He isn't happy about this either! He assured me that the students would be protected from all dangers!" A man with a low, rumbling voice was now shouting back, "The students will all be protected by Aurors during the year. You are to pick the most qualified students out of your 5th year classes and get them to Hogwarts so we can all just stop fighting, damn it!"

The irony of the man's statement about fighting must have struck them both as funny, because in the next few seconds they were both laughing, Madame Meara with her light giggle, and the man with his deep booming laugh. Aurora almost had to giggle herself. After a few minutes, the laughing subsided and the voices grew softer. Aurora had to lean in closer to hear.

"Now then," Madame Meara was saying to the man, "How am I to pick the students? Is the ministry going to help me choose them? How are we supposed to get there? Obviously we can't floo or apparate over there, that would be too dangerous."

The man answered, "You are to pick the 5 most qualified students from the 4th year students, they will have their 5th year at Hogwarts. Once you have done this you are to explain to them about the new policy, why it will benefit the country, what they will do while there, and how they will do it. The ministry will provide transportation to England prior to the start of the next school year. You will fill a position left by a current Hogwarts teacher and your students will occupy dorms and attend Hogwarts for a year. The teacher you are filling in for is going to take 5 students to another school and so on. The purpose of this is to learn different ways of learning and teaching. And also to learn of the culture and way of life of the European magical community. The Hogwarts family will, in turn, learn all about life in America and Portland Academy. The ministry will send you more details in the next few weeks. Understand?

"Yes, but one question." Madame Meara always liked to ask one question. "How am I to choose the students? You didn't answer me."

"That," the man said with a smile in his voice. "Is entirely up to you, Melissa."

**A/N:** Ah I just love the first chapter of a new ff don't you? Well I would appreciate it if you would tell me what you think, so I can improve for the next chapter. Thanks!


	2. An Explanation

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A few minutes later, Madame Meara opened the door to her office and a tall man in a pinstriped ministry suit stepped out. She bade him good-bye and then turned to Aurora and asked her to come in.

"Well miss Hansen, how much have you heard?" She asked with a light smile.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about," Aurora said, glancing around the room.

"Really miss Hansen, do you think after teaching young people for as long as I have, I don't have ways of monitoring at least everything that goes on outside my office?"

Aurora could tell that Madame Meara wasn't really mad that she had heard, she just didn't like it when people didn't tell her the truth. Aurora couldn't blame her.

"Yes Ma'am. I did hear some.. things. Something about exchanging students to England for a year?"

"Mmhm, that's more like it miss Hansen. Honesty is the best policy, you know. Well as you probably just overheard," Madame Meara exaggerated the word _overheard, "_The International Federation of Magic has just passed a law designed for international cooperation. Every magical school in the world is exchanging 5 students of the same grade to a different school. It just so happens that the year that was picked is 5th year so you'll have the opportunity to study and take your OWLs abroad."

"Well that sounds pretty cool," Aurora said thoughtfully. "How are you going to pick the 5 students?"

"I don't know, I think I'm just going to wait for the ministry details and decide in the last few weeks of school." Madame Meara was standing up and pacing around her office as she spoke. With her last thought on the exchange, she turned to face Aurora and said with a smile, "Now, miss Hansen. What do we have to do to get you to be on time to your classes?"

**A/N:** Sorry for such a short chapter. I was having some… writers block.


	3. Passing Notes

**----------**

As Aurora made her way to her next class, she met up with her two best friends along the way. Camden, Britney, and Aurora had been friends since they were seated next to each other in their first class in their first year. Since then they had been inseparable, even though they all came from different backgrounds. Camden was muggle-born, very rich, and raised by both parents. Britney was pureblood, also very rich, and raised by her father who also was the American Minister of Magic. Aurora was the only one who hadn't grown up with both parents and who wasn't swimming in cash.

They met up in the hallway outside their 4th period class, history of African magic, and walked in together. About halfway through class, a note scooted under Aurora's desk. She recognized the large, blocky letters as Camden's handwriting and unfolded the paper.

The note read 'Hey Rory, why weren't you in 3rd? Mr. Beacon was especially boring. It's amazing how he can make magical creatures boring, but somehow he manages it. Have you heard the rumors about Paul Watson and that new blonde girl? Apparently they got pretty close over the weekend, he took her out to the quidditch pitch to "play". HAH I bet I know what kind of "playing" they did.  Pass this to Howie when you're done.'

Aurora looked around the room to see if anyone had seen and then hastily wrote her reply back. She told all the details about the exchange and then passed the note to Britney.

When Britney passed the note back, Aurora could tell she was more than a little pissed. She opened the note to see why. 'Hey guys, I know you don't like this class, but don't you think you should at least take a few notes? Mr. Cole was just hinting about a pop quiz. So Cam, where did you get your info? And you had better know that I'm going to beat you to a pulp after class for mentioning Paul. You know I have a crush on him! Rory, who do you think she'll choose? I hope I'm picked, that would be so great, especially since we took History of European Magic back in 3rd year!'

Aurora could see Mr. Cole's eyes looking at her so she quickly got out her notebook and jotted down something about voodoo. As soon as she could feel the teacher's gaze drifting to some other student, she took out the note and began to write a reply. 'I don't know how she'll choose Howie… But that would be pretty cool. I thought you were over Paul by now! He's such a popular Howie, if you dated him you'd forget all about us!'

She included a little p.s. after that, saying that they shouldn't pass the note to her anymore, since she actually needed to pay attention sometimes. She could see them sending the note to each other for the rest of class, and imagined them arguing about something, since that was what they usually did.

After the bell rang for class to get out, Aurora met up with Camden and Britney in the hallway and they all headed out to lunch. After they had all gotten sandwiches, they went outside to sit on one of the several benches on the grounds. As lunch was an hour long, they usually spent about half of it catching up on gossip and schoolwork.

"Rory what did you mean in that note?" Britney said with a confused look, "I wouldn't ever ditch you guys if I went out with Paul. You so know that."

"Yeah I do I was just teasing." Aurora answered back.

"Hey look who it is! It's the fabled twin sister of Paul. Could it be that she's actually venturing out of the library?" Paul asked in a 'Masterpiece Theater'-type voice.

"Haha, yeah I guess even the bookworms need some time in the sun too Cam." Said Britney.

Paul and Oriana Watson were half-blood twins who also went to PA. While Paul was athletic and popular, Oriana was reclusive and skinny. They both had dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, but other than that they didn't look like they were related at all. Normally at PA, someone like Oriana would be picked on, but because of her brother most people left her alone.

Paul, Oriana, Camden, Britney, and Aurora were all at the top of their year. Aurora, Camden, and Paul were the sort of students that good grades came naturally to. Britney and Oriana constantly had their noses in books. Britney usually kept her grades up only because her father wouldn't have it any other way. He was the American Minister of Magic, so he always told her that it was her job to help his image by getting all A's.

All too soon the bell rang for 5th period, the trio split up. Camden was headed for a free period in the library, Britney had a muggle studies class, and Aurora was headed for advanced potions.

PA had many different course offerings, such as the normal ones (history of magic, potions, charms, transfiguration, astronomy, and care of magical creatures). But since PA was a very prestigious school, each subject had other categories under it, like Care of Aquatic Creatures or Summer Astronomy (although not done in the summer!). Students had much to choose from, so there were 7 periods a day, each an hour long, and at least 2 required after school activities.

Students could join clubs or study groups, play school sports, or take an extra class. Most kids went for sports, but the trio always took an extra class together.

**A/N:** I tried to make this chapter longer, but I don't think I succeeded. Oh well, I think I'm just better at writing shorter chapters, my brain doesn't think in 17 pages. Haha? Anyway, let me know how I'm doing! Thanks to everyone who reviewed so far.


	4. A letter and a feast

Melissa Meara was just sitting down to lunch in her office, when a particularly large black crow flew into the room, carrying a letter. The crow had a band around it's foot that said it was from the ministry of magic. Madame Meara took the letter from the bird's foot and then held out her goblet for it to drink from. The crow took one look at the goblet of water and stuck it's beak in the air. It turned to face the window and took off again.

'Obviously thinks it's too good for water, damn ministry birds…' Madame Meara thought as she opened the envelope with her new letter opener, engraved with the Portland Academy crest. The crest had a wand on it, emitting 3 stars, and the Portland Academy initials (PA). It was purple and black (the school colors) and it was rimmed with silver.

Madame Meara took the letter out of it's envelope and sat back in her chair to read it. It was quite long.

The letter read:

Dear Melissa,

Hello! How are you? I heard that Robert had a hard time convincing you last week. I can assure you that the students and yourself will be perfectly safe!

Now, on to business; I'm sure you were informed that you would be receiving a packet with detailed instructions. It's coming tomorrow, the dignitaries have just finished writing it now. I've been told to give you a summery though, so you can get on to choosing students quickly.

As you know, the act requires all magical schools to send five students and one teacher to another school. The schools were all chosen at random. Pacific Academy for Young Witches and Wizards has been chosen to go to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, located in Europe.

You are to choose the students any way you see fit. I suggest, however, that you make sure that the students know all elementary defense skills. Hogwarts isn't known to be the safest place in the world, as you know!

We will be providing transportation to England for you. You will travel by muggle airplane, as this is the best way to transport 6 people across the ocean! I believe there will be one 'layover', the muggles think that means you arrive in one place, and then a few hours later you depart from it. Very odd, why not go all the way through? Anyway, that's how you are to arrive in England. Once there you will travel to Diagon Alley to pick up all the specialty supplies for Hogwarts.

After picking up school supplies you will take the students to Hogwarts via the Hogwarts Express. The train departs from King's Cross Station on the 1st of September.

The students will be required to wear the Hogwarts uniform; a white collard shirt, a tie, a black skirt or black slacks, and knee socks or tights for the young ladies. They will need to purchase plain black robes while in London, and this year they will be required to have dress robes.

The students will be sorted into a house upon arrival. The four Hogwarts houses are: Gryfindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. They will stay with the other students in the dorms. They will attend the regular Hogwarts classes and they will meet with you once a week, so you can make sure they're happy.

I think that's about it! Take note that you will need to inform the ministry of your choices before you tell the students!

Sincerely,

Jeffery Howard, Minister of Magic

On the last day of classes there was a big dinner held at the school and all parents and students were invited to attend. Madame Meara stood at the front of the room after everyone had finished eating, and called for attention.

"Students and guests may I have your attention please… Thank you. As many of you know, There has been an act passed by international magical dignitaries and starting next year, all magic schools will exchange 5 students and 1 teacher to another school. Our school will be sending students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have selected the students myself, and I feel confident that you will be able to handle it."

At this, whispers broke out over the room as people wondered who the students would be.

"I found that many of the students would be good candidates to go, so I chose from them, the top students of the year. The students who will travel to Hogwarts will be…"

A hush broke out, each person staring fixedly at Madame Meara.

"Camden Tonnochy," Camden's parents hugged him while Madame Meara smiled down at him.

"Paul and Oriana Watson," Their parents stared proudly at them.

"Brittney Howard," Brittney's father beamed down at her and gave her a quick squeeze.

"And last, but not least… Aurora Hansen." Madame Meara gave the last words of the year and dismissed all the students and their parents. Aurora's aunt and uncle gave her hearty congratulations and moved to speak with the headmistress, leaving Aurora to speak with Camden and Brittney.

Brittney was overflowing with excitement, saying that she couldn't believe that they were all going to Europe together. Camden seemed calm about it, only hoping that they had decent quidditch teams. As Aurora said good-bye and started to head home with her aunt and uncle, she started to think about how she felt about leaving for another country.

When they got to their small, two-story house, Aurora went up to her room to think about the changes that were about to happen. It wasn't like she hadn't ever gone through change.

She moved to her dresser and picked up the worn photo album sitting in a corner. As she sat on the end of her bed and began looking through it, the memories of her parents flooded back.

She paused at a picture of them at their house, waving at the camera with big grins on their faces. It was taken right before her parents had been killed. They were Aurors and they had been sent to check out an old abandoned mansion. Aurora wasn't ever told what, but something inside had been deadly. They were killed instantly.

Aurora had been sent to live with her Aunt Judy and Uncle Lucas when she was 10 years old. They had always been close to her, so it wasn't like she was moving in with strangers. They weren't extremely well off, but they had tried to provide her with anything she wanted.

Aunt Judy was a muggle, so Aurora grew up shopping in muggle malls, listening to muggle music, watching television, and reading muggle books. Her uncle Lucas charmed most of the stuff in the house to work with magic, so they rarely needed to buy batteries or gas for the car.

Part of Aurora had died that night with her parents and she was used to the strange fits of crying that would randomly overcome her. She still hadn't allowed herself to let go.

**A/N: **Well… I tried to make it longer. I guess I did a little better! I think it felt a little forced at the end though. Anyway, review please! And thanks to those great people that reviewed already, you make me happy. 


	5. It's Time

The summer months passed easily for the 5 chosen students. They met up with Madame Meara about once a week to discuss any concerns they had about England. Each meeting was a dinner and Madame Meara told them about how their daily life in Hogwarts would be like. They read Hogwarts, A History and watched a clip about Hogwarts that a graduate had assembled in his muggle studies class. They were given their letters and lists of things to buy, although they had to send out for most of it since there weren't a great many wizarding stores in Portland.

As September 1st grew closer, the excitement the students felt grew. Aurora was starting to get antsy and nearly drove her aunt and uncle crazy with her constant chatter. It would be her first time leaving the country and she had only traveled a few times before. Brittney, however, had traveled all over the world with her father and she was much more excited about meeting new friends and maybe getting herself a new crush.

Finally, on August 29th (the set departure date), all the students stood saying good-bye to their parents and guardians outside of the school. The government had arranged for them to take a muggle airplane to travel to England and they would arrive in London just under a day before boarding the train. Madame Meara pulled up in a school van that they used for mass transport of students (it was so hard to fit 30 students comfortably around a portkey or on a broom.) As the students piled in with their things, Aurora said a last farewell to Aunt Judy and Uncle Lucas.

"Thank you so much for letting me go you guys. I'm so excited, and I promise I'll write all the time!" Aurora rushed, trying to speak and put her trunk in the van at the same time.

"Of course Rory, we knew how much this would mean to you. Oh! And one more thing... We got you a present." Uncle Lucas said with a sly smile. "I think you'll enjoy him very much my dear."

He handed Aurora a box, rather large, and she immediately opened it. Inside was the most beautiful cat she had ever seen. He was large, with a little extra weight, and he was dark brown with black and yellow spots. He had unusual markings around the eyes, almost like eyebrows, and he had a white chest and stomach. Unfortunately he also seemed to be very grumpy and he growled as Aurora stooped to pick him up.

"Oh dear. Don't growl at me silly, I'm going to be responsible for feeding you!" Aurora said to her new pet. "I hope you aren't this much of a butt-face for the rest of the trip!"

The bus ride passed without incident, as did the plane trip. Aurora kept thinking about her new pet down below and how her friends were finally going to Hogwarts. Minutes after the plane was stable and going toward it's destination, Aurora was fast asleep.

* * *

When the students arrived in London, excitement was etched on all of their faces. None of them could believe they were actually there! It certainly was hard to listen to Madame Meara as she spoke about what they were to do while they waited for the train to begin it's trip to Hogwarts. Apparently, they were to go to a small pub called The Leaky Cauldron to amuse themselves until the rest of London woke up. (Unfortunately they had arrived at around 4 in the morning.)

Most of the students tried the English drink they had been given, Butterbeer, but some refused. Aurora opted instead for some pumpkin juice, which she found more to her liking. The group of 15 year olds gathered around a table and began talking about the most random things they could think of. Finally, after discussing the various uses for yo-yos for around a half hour, the group was over-excitable when Madame Meara came up to them and told them it was time to call for a couple taxis to take them to King's Cross Station in order to board the Hogwarts Express.

Aurora climbed into the back of a taxi with Brittney and Camden and silently they made their way through London to the train station. Normally, they were all talkative people, but the realization that they were to be going to a British boarding school by taking a train in a place they had never set foot in before was leaving them a bit speechless.

As they entered the train station they saw hundreds of muggles rushing from platforms to gift shops and from place to place, but they didn't even expect to see someone who was blatantly a wizard, dressed in robes. In America, witches and wizards weren't allowed to show any sort of ANYTHING that was out of the ordinary. To anybody they looked like regular muggles.

There were people with owls in cages on top of trunks, there were purple cats with golden whiskers, there were people pointing at the clocks and laughing at how simple they were. Were these people not at all worried about secrecy? Finally they reached the wall between platforms 9 and 10. The group looked at each other confusedly, then at Madame Meara. She pushed up her sleeves and told the group to take her lead. She marched purposefully at the wall and then, right as she should have ran into it, she disappeared. The trio looked at each other in amazement. Then Paul, being the extroverted leader he was, took his sisters trunk and his own and walked straight through the wall, Oriana right behind him. Camden, Aurora, and Brittney shrugged at each other and walked through the barrier a couple seconds later. When they emerged at platform 9 3/4, they saw a beautiful scarlet steam engine with Hogwarts Express emblazoned on the side. They saw the rest of their small group a few steps ahead and went to join them.

"Ok troops! The time's finally here," Madame Meara was speaking to the students. "In a few minutes you will board that train and then you will cease to be Portland Academy for Gifted Witches and Wizards students. You will be Hogwarts 5th years and you will be expected to act like it, not like hooligans. You all remember the defensive spells I taught you last year, don't you? Good. As you know, England is not the safest place for us right now. Ok kids, go ahead and get on the train, I'll be sitting with the conductor if you need me!"

Madame Meara took off for the front of the train and the students began to file onto the train. Oriana immediately sat in a compartment all by herself, unwilling to even let her brother sit with her. Paul found a compartment full of quidditch players to amuse him so Camden Brittney and Aurora found a compartment near the end of the train that they could sit in without interruption.

**A/N: Yay, a new chapter! I felt like writing again (since I finally have time with school being on break and all) and I decided to just write this and send it off. If you don't like it, please tell me. Originally the students were going to stay in Diagon Alley for the rest of the summer and meet some of the characters, but unfortunately that chapter (that was almost completely finished ) is now lost to the world. My computer broke down and all of my files were lost. Oh well these things happen for a reason I guess! I think I'm going to go read the original Order of the Phoenix now please R&R!**


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